News Release

Saturday, September 9, 2006

Police Car Collides with Toyota, Two Injured

Los Angeles: The driver and passenger of a Toyota Corolla were seriously injured just after midnight this morning when a police car swerved to avoid another car, which had stopped abruptly in a South Los Angeles intersection.

"This is a tragic accident," said LAPD spokesman Lieutenant Paul Vernon. "We pray for the speedy recovery of the driver and her passenger." Both persons remain hospitalized.

The collision occurred Saturday, September 9, at 12:10 AM, when a Los Angeles police officer, assigned to the Southeast Police Station, was traveling westbound on Imperial Highway. As the police car approached the intersection, two cars were stopped in tandem at the stop sign at Success Avenue. The car in front moved into the intersection, then the driver hesitated and stopped abruptly when he saw the police car.

The police officer swerved to avoid hitting the first car and struck the second car, the Toyota Corolla. The force of the collision severely injured both occupants.

The driver, a 40-year-old woman, was taken by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital in Long Beach. She remains in critical condition. Her passenger, a 46-year-old man, sustained serious injuries, but was listed in stable condition. The police officer's leg was injured. He was also listed in stable condition.

The first car, which the officer swerved to avoid, was not directly involved in the collision.

The Specialized Collision Investigation Division (SCID) will investigate the circumstances of the accident.